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Northland's Oldest Christian Radio Station Sold

Posted at: 01/31/2014 2:06 PM
Updated at: 01/31/2014 4:54 PM

The Northland's oldest Christian radio station is getting a new owner and a programming adjustment.

The local owners of Duluth's WWJC radio (AM 850) are selling the station to Milwaukee-based Christian broadcaster VCY America. According to documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission, VCY will pay $400,000 for the non-profit station.

The sale is subject to FCC approval.

Station manager Ted Elm said the sale was an economic decision. He thanked the station's longtime supporters and said while VCY would likely switch the station's programming to its network, the programming will be similar to what currently airs on WWJC.

Elm said in the 45 years he's worked at the station, its staff has been reduced from several full-time workers to several part-time workers. It appears they will lose their jobs when the sale is completed.

VCY owns 21 other radio stations, mostly in the Upper Midwest, including WEGZ (105.9 FM) in Washburn, Wis. and WQRN (88.9 FM) in Cook, Minn.

WWJC broadcasts with 10,000 Watts during the daytime hours from a transmitter near the Oliver Bridge in the Gary-New Duluth neighborhood. It does not have authority to broadcast at night, when AM radio signals travel farther.